Mowing-machine.



no. 653,4l9. Patented July 10, I900. M

M. KANE.

mowme MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 11, 1899.) (No Model.)

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Q fillllllllnllmlfi W1 EEEE-E P UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MAURICE KANE, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

MOWlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 653,419, dated July 10,1900.

Application filed December 1], 1399. Serial No. 739,901. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern: I

Be it known that I, MAURI E KANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Austin, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Mowing- Machine, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to mowing-machines.

The object of the invention is to provide means for restoring andmaintaining alinement between the cutter-bar and its actuating-pitman.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination,location, and re1ative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fullyhereinafter set forth, shown in the accompanying drawings, and finallypointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the various views andreference-signs appearing thereon, Figure l is a view in plan of amowing-machine, showing the application thereto of a constructionembodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detached detailview, in side elevation, of the yoke upon which the cutter-bar issupported and showing a construction embodying my invention, thefinger-bar being in transverse section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theconstruction-shown in Fig. 2, the cutter-bar be ing broken off. Fig. 4is a broken detached detail view of the eyebolt for restoring thealinement of the cutter-bar with its actuatingpitman.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever itoccurs.

In the efficient operation of mowing-machines it is desirable andimportant to maintain accurate alinement betweenthe cutterbar and itsactuating-pitman. In use through the wear of joints and parts whichsupport the inner end of the finger-bar and the backward pressureexerted upon the finger-bar as the machine advances over the ground andencounters the grass to be cut or other obstruction a tendency isquickly developed in' the finger-bar to sag backward, and it is evidentthat only a slight wear of the joints at the inner end of the finger-barwill result in a magnified degree of backward sagging at the outer endof such bar, as clearly indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thisbackward sagging of the finger-bar is objectionable and undesirable forthe reason that thereby the path of reciprocation of the cutter-barbecomes deflected or changed out of accurate alinement with the pitmanthrough which re ciprocations are imparted to the cutter-bar, andas arapid reciprocation is imparted to the cutter-bar while the machine isin use such deflection of the path of reciprocation of the cutter fromtrue and accurate alinement with the line of movement of the pitmanthrough which the cutter bar is reciprocated (and which is not affectedby the rearward pressure upon the finger-bar or by wear in the partswhich support the finger-bar) develops friction and rapid wear andlooseness of the cutter-bar, thus not only causing the machine to runheavy, but rapidly wearing out the parts. Various expedients have beenresorted to with a view to overcoming this difficulty, and in mypriorapplication,Serial No. 679,712, filed May 12, 1898, I have shown,described,

and claimed a construction for restoring and maintaining alinementbetween the cutterbar and its actuating-pitman by relatively adjustingthe yoke upon which is hinged the shoe which supports the cutter-bar,such relative adjustment being effected with respect to the coupling-armupon which the yoke is mounted. The present invention relates to meansfor securing the same object and embodies a modified constructionwherein the cutter-bar is adjusted relative to its supporting-shoe andwithout disturbing or affecting the position or adjustment of the yoke.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, reference-sign A desigifates amowing-machine, which may be of the usual or any ordinary or well-knowntype of construction or arrangement. B designates the coupling-arm;O,the-yoke,which is supported or sleeved upon the end of thecoupling-arm; D, the shoe, which may be hinged or otherwise supportedupon the yoke 0 in the ordinary or any suitable manner, whereby thefinger-bar supported thereby may be folded into convenient position fortransportation, and E is the fingerbar, adapted to receivethecutter-'barF in the These parts so far mentioned may be of the usual orany wellknown or suitable construction.

In my prior application I have provided means for restoring thealinement of the cutter-bar with respect to its operating-pitman G byadjusting the position of the yoke O with respect to the coupling-arm13, upon which said yoke is mounted, such adjustment of the yokeeffecting the restoration of alinement between the cutter-bar and itsoperatin g-pitman byreason of the fact that said cutter-barreciproc'ates in guides formed in the finger-bar and the latter beingsupported upon the shoe, which is in turn supported upon or= hinged tothe yoke. In the present application Tpropose to secure the same resultsby adjustin g the finger-bar with respect to the shoe. To this end Isecure the innerend of the finger-bar to the shoe by means of two bolts,one bolt H passing through said bar and shoe and the other bolt J alsopassing through said bar and shoe, but the slot K, (indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2,) through which said bolt passes, being elongated, so asto permit lateral movement of said boltin said slot, the bolt J beinglocated nearer the inner end of the bar E than bolt H, as clearly shown,said bolts H and J being provided with nuts L and M, respectively, bywhich said bolts may be clamped up to lock the finger-bar and shoe inthe positions to which they may be adjusted. Arranged to pass throughtheuptnrned heel or lug N on the shoe D is an eyebolt P, having athreaded stem, as clearly shown, and the bolt J is arranged to passthrough the eye R of said eyebolt, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and4. Set-nuts Q are threaded upon the stem of eyebolt P and are arranged,respectively, on opposite sides of the upturned heel or lug N. By thisconstruction it will be seen that by backing off one of the nuts Q andturning up on the other, after loosening the nuts L M of bolts H and J,the finger-bar E will be adjusted with reference to its supportingshoe,said finger-bar swinging about bolt H as a pivot, the elongated slot Kin the shoe permitting such swing. In this mannerl secure a ready andeasy restoration of alinement between the cutter-bar and its actuating-pitman to correct and compensate for any backward sag in a very simpleand expeditious manner by merely swinging the fingerbar which supportsthe cutter-bar in the manner above described. It will be observed thatonly a slight adjustment or swing of the inner end of the bar is allthat is required, as the movement at such inner end will be m ultipliedat the outer end of such bar.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and aconstruction embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new anduseful and of my own invention, and de' carried, a shoe upon which saidfinger-bar is supported, said shoe being pivotally mounted, whereby thefinger-bar may be folded into convenient position for transportation, anactuating-pitm an for said cutter-bar, of means for adjusting theposition of the finger-bar upon and with reference to said shoe; wherebyalinement between said bar and its actuating-pitman is restored andmaintained, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, in which the cutter-bar iscarried, a shoe for supporting the same,and an actuating-pitman for thecutter-bar, in combination with means for swinging the cutter-barforwardly upon and with reference to said shoe, to restore and maintainalinement between said cutter-bar and pitman, as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In am owing-maohine,a fi nger-bar adapted to carry a cutter-bar, apitman for actuating said cutter-bar, and a shoe fox-supporting thefinger-bar, in combination with means for adjusting the finger-bar uponand with reference to said shoe, whereby the outer end of saidfinger-bar may be moved forwardly to restore and maintain alinementbetween said cutter-bar and its actuating-pitman, as and for the purposeset forth.

4. In a mowing-machine,a finger-bar adapted to carrya cutter-bar, anactuating-pitman forthe latter, a shoe, the finger-bar being pivotallysupported thereon, said shoe provided with a laterally-extendingelongated slot, a bolt passing through such slot and securing thefinger-barto the shoe, in combination with an eyebolt engaging thefirst-mentioned bolt, and means for adjusting such eyebolt; whereby saidfingor-bar is capable of being rocked about its pivot, to restore andmaintain alinement between said bar and pitman, as and for the purposeset forth.

5. In a mowing-machine, a finger-bar, a cut-- ter-bar supported thereby,an actuating-pitman for said cutter-bar, a supporting-shoe for saidfinger-bar, said shoe provided with an upturned heel or lug and anelongated slot, a securing-bolt for said finger-barand shoe, an adjusting-bolt for said fin ger-bar and shoe, said adjusting-bolt arrangedto pass through the elongated slot in said shoe, an eyebolt arranged tobe engaged by said adjusting-bolt, and having its stem arranged to passthrough said upturned heel orlug, and set-nuts mounted upon saideyebolt-stein and arranged on opposite sides, respectively, of saidupturned heel or lug, whereby said finger-bar may be rocked or swungupon said shoe to restore and maintain alinement between said cutter-barand pitman, as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 8th day ofDecember, 1899, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

MAURICE KANE. lVit-nesses:

E. O. SEMPLE, S. E. DARBY.

